Two feet may make a difference in who controls the Hamilton Street dam, but Wapakoneta city administrators say they hope the state will cede jurisdiction to the city.

“We are trying to get a definitive answer from the governing authority,” Wapakoneta Mayor Rodney Metz said after Monday’s Wapakoneta City Council meeting. “We want to preserve the dam that we have and keep it in place because of the activities we have due to the water we have in the city and primarily downtown and the beautification project we have planned for downtown.

Two feet may make a difference in who controls the Hamilton Street dam, but Wapakoneta city administrators say they hope the state will cede jurisdiction to the city.

“We are trying to get a definitive answer from the governing authority,” Wapakoneta Mayor Rodney Metz said after Monday’s Wapakoneta City Council meeting. “We want to preserve the dam that we have and keep it in place because of the activities we have due to the water we have in the city and primarily downtown and the beautification project we have planned for downtown.

“It appears at this time that we will be able to do that,” he said. “We have concerns and people and business owners share our concerns.”

Metz said a directive from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) is to remove dams throughout Ohio to restore waterways to their natural state.

“They are taking some down because they cause flooding, but we don’t have a flooding issue nor do we have a water quality issue, up or down stream.”

The mayor said Safety-Service Director Bill Rains has made contact with ODNR officials about keeping Wapakoneta’s dam. Rains told councilors ODNR engineers plan to make a site visit.

“If the dam was under 6 feet in height, we would not have a problem, but since it is 8 feet tall in the next several weeks we will have an ODNR engineer come in and take a look at the dam and check things out,” Rains told councilors. “To answer a question of several councilors, it appears at this time we have the final say in what happens to our dam.”

Metz and Rains said they will fight to keep the dam in place.

Rains said since the dam is taller then “the rules might change,” but he hopes to have an answer from ODNR by the end of July.

Rains also intends to contact an ODNR official regarding a proposed dog park in Harmon Park along the Auglaize River.

A number of residents have come forward expressing a desire to designate land for a dog park. 1st Ward Councilor Jim Neumeier presented the same PowerPoint presentation regarding his findings of dog parks in the vicinity and possible locations in the city that he gave during a Parks and Recreation Committee meeting on Wednesday.

Two feet may make a difference in who controls the Hamilton Street dam, but Wapakoneta city administrators say they hope the state will cede jurisdiction to the city.

“We are trying to get a definitive answer from the governing authority,” Wapakoneta Mayor Rodney Metz said after Monday’s Wapakoneta City Council meeting. “We want to preserve the dam that we have and keep it in place because of the activities we have due to the water we have in the city and primarily downtown and the beautification project we have planned for downtown.

“It appears at this time that we will be able to do that,” he said. “We have concerns and people and business owners share our concerns.”

Metz said a directive from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) is to remove dams throughout Ohio to restore waterways to their natural state.

“They are taking some down because they cause flooding, but we don’t have a flooding issue nor do we have a water quality issue, up or down stream.”

The mayor said Safety-Service Director Bill Rains has made contact with ODNR officials about keeping Wapakoneta’s dam. Rains told councilors ODNR engineers plan to make a site visit.

“If the dam was under 6 feet in height, we would not have a problem, but since it is 8 feet tall in the next several weeks we will have an ODNR engineer come in and take a look at the dam and check things out,” Rains told councilors. “To answer a question of several councilors, it appears at this time we have the final say in what happens to our dam.”

Metz and Rains said they will fight to keep the dam in place.

Rains said since the dam is taller then “the rules might change,” but he hopes to have an answer from ODNR by the end of July.

Rains also intends to contact an ODNR official regarding a proposed dog park in Harmon Park along the Auglaize River.

A number of residents have come forward expressing a desire to designate land for a dog park. 1st Ward Councilor Jim Neumeier presented the same PowerPoint presentation regarding his findings of dog parks in the vicinity and possible locations in the city that he gave during a Parks and Recreation Committee meeting on Wednesday.